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Hummus & Veggies Mediterranean Mezze Board
I’m so glad to be feeling more myself after being sick all weekend.
Can we all agree on the fact that being sick just sucks on every level? Especially when you’re older because then you don’t even get to miss school as a bonus. You just get to lay around feeling guilty that you’re not doing all the things you need to. Then on top of that, I work from home, so it’s hard to not feel extra guilty when you’re work is right there. I’m not saying that there aren’t huge benefits to working from home, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
This flu virus though, or whatever it was, left me with about 0% motivation to do anything. Yeah, I’m not gonna lie, my weekend involved a lot less recipe creating and a lot more Netflix marathons. I’m back at it though and feeling so ready to jump into all the fresh Springy foods and recipes that I want to make!
When it comes to holidays, or basically any occasion for that matter, my family is definitely into snacking. I mean, we love to do big extravagant meals for Thanksgiving or sometimes Christmas, but even still there has to be some good snacks to get the party started.
This board is a great way to impress the guests and also include some healthier stuff on the snacking table. I love making all type of hummus flavors (sidenote: What’s the plural of hummus? hummuses? hummis? hummu?) but this time I wanted to go with one that would also add to the color palate of this board so I tried a beet flavored one. Of course, I also had to throw in a traditional hummus too.
As for the rest, you can get pretty versatile with the dippers. I used some of the veggies that make me think of Spring the most, a mix of blue corn chips, multi-grain crackers, and toasted garlic breadsticks. I added some nuts and threw on some fresh flowers for good measure (not necessary, but pretty). Like I said before though, you can make this board however you want.
Hummus & Veggies Mediterranean Mezze Board
Serve up this vibrantly colored hummus and vegetable board at your next Spring fling or put it on your Easter menu to share with friends and family.Prep Time 25 minutesIngredients
Hummus base:
- 2 15 ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 3 medium beets cooked and peeled
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Board:
- sugar snap peas
- radishes sliced
- baby carrots
- cherry tomatoes
- cucumbers sliced
- almonds toasted or raw
- walnuts toasted or raw
- blue corn chips
- breadsticks
- multi-grain crackers
- fresh flowers optional
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients for the hummus base in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Take about half of the mixture out of the blender and place in a medium bowl, then stir the cumin and paprika in. Add the beets and fresh thyme to the remaining mixture in the blender and blend until smooth. If not using immediately, store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.
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To assemble the board, fill small bowls with each of the hummus flavors and surround the bowls with the fresh cut veggies, chips, crackers, and any other fruits, cheeses, or meats you might like to add.
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Finish off the board with some fresh flowers if desired and enjoy!
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Baked Yam Fries with Sriracha Hummus (Vegan + GF)
And just like that the weekend is over.
But don’t distress too much, there’s french fries! Okay, technically these are baked and they aren’t really your typical fries, but still, same difference right?
Before I get into that too much, let me fill you in on some life stuff that’s come up recently. Actually, I feel like I’ve left a lot of things unmentioned about my family and personal life because, well, I think everyone can understand that hard line between cyberspace and real life. It’s hard to navigate sometimes, especially when it involves other people’s lives, you know? For example, I can’t go around announcing big news on the internet when it’s possible that a relative somewhere hasn’t heard the news yet. Oh, the horror of being responsible for letting a cat out of the bag too soon, I can’t deal with that.
On the other hand, I do have a big family and they are so much a part of my blog even if it’s in a more indirect kinda way, so talking about huge life events has to happen at some point but maybe not quite yet. I’ll probably share details later but at the moment our plans seem to be changing every 5.2 seconds so it’s not even worth it yet.
Yep, life has just been crazy this year to put it mildly, but the good thing is that no matter how insane all of our lives get we can still all come together to talk about food at any given time. I mean….people’s gotta eat, am I right?So not only are we talking about potatoes, (which alone are enough to make a good majority of carb-lovers pretty darn happy), but I also made some hummus to go with and it takes all of like, 4 minutes and done. You can go as heavy or light on the spice as you want but the recipe is for a hummus at a pretty happy medium.
Also, if you’re wondering about the sweet potatoes, or “yams” that I used, they are really common here in Chile. They are a brilliant shade of purple on the outside and sometimes they are orange or sometimes they are white o the inside. It’s always funny to me because you can’t tell on the outside which ones they are and I’ve gotten bagfuls before in the hope of them being orange like your typical sweet potato, only to find that they are pale as heck. Usually I wouldn’t care but as a food photographer it makes a difference because then I find myself having to explain as I’m doing now. Ugh, life, why?
Feel free to use whatever color sweet potatoes you like for this. Or regular potatoes, as they work the same. Bottom line is that these are one of the best snacks or sides ever. But really, who says we can’t just eat french fries for dinner yo? You certainly won’t hear that from me. Oh, and leftovers happen sometimes so don’t think these are a lost cause. Just because everyone knows microwaved fries are a major no-no if you don’t particularly like the taste of cardboard, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t save them. No, these are easily brought back to life with just a few minutes on broil in your oven or toaster oven. Or, if you’re a weirdo like me and you like cold potatoes, you can easily chop them up and throw them on a salad cuz that’s a win.
Baked Yam Fries with Sriracha Hummus (Vegan + GF)
Baking fries is a healthy and easy way to enjoy them at home. These sweet fries compliment the garlic hummus perfectly!
Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 45 minutesTotal Time 55 minutesServings 4 servingsIngredients
Yam Fries:
- 3-4 large yams or sweet potatoes washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (Optional: I usually leave it out)
- salt and pepper to taste
Sriracha Hummus:
- 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans rinsed
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Fries:
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 C) and line a baking tray with foil.
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Chop potatoes into matchsticks and toss with olive oil and seasoning in a large bowl and spread out in an even layer on tray and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove from oven and toss a little bit then return to oven and bake for 15 to 25 more minutes until crispy. I like to start checking them at about 10 minutes to make sure there are none getting burned. Remove from oven and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Hummus:
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Combine all the ingredients for hummus in a small food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
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Whole Grain Pitas with Lentil Hummus Dip (Vegan)
Rejoice! For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord…….and then there’s hummus……..
Yesterday I told you guys how I was going to make this my Christmas movie inspired food week. For my second recipe I thought I’d go back a little further than the 40’s. Let’s ask ourselves WWJE (what would Jesus eat)?
Today I’m sharing a recipe inspired by the Nativity Story and, okay, obviously it’s not just a movie but THE story of Christmas, the entire reason for the season. There just happens to also be a movie too so I can throw this into my line up for the week. As you probably know, there’s actually a lot of theatrical adaptions of the classic story but the 2006 version is the one I’m talking about. It’s one of our favorites that we watch every year and I think it was really well made. (Something funny; Sophie thinks that the actress who plays Mary looks just like my sister Jenya, so every year someone ends up teasing her like, “Hey Jenya, we were wondering, was it hard making the trip to Bethlehem?”)
So, I remember when I was in school we had this class party that was bible food themed. We had olives, and pitas, and we even cooked a duck. Out of everything we ate, the thing that stands out most in my memory is the hummus that we bought. I had never even heard of hummus before then and it really wasn’t the most common food item at the time, at least, not in my small-town circles. It seems like it has gotten increasingly popular in US culture over the last decade though. Now there are tons of recipes floating around and a lot of varieties you can buy at the store.
I think one of the best things about hummus is that it’s such a blank canvas for whatever flavors you want to throw in. I’ve done so many different kinds but I think my favorites have been the more traditional ones. I really like using garbanzos, like most hummus recipes use, but this time I thought it would be good to try a different base and I think I almost liked the lentils better. They make a creamier hummus and don’t require as much liquid so it gives more flavor.
Then there are these pitas, we can’t forget those! Let me just say, YUM! I think everything is better in, on, or with pitas, agreed? They are also vegan, as is the hummus, so even more people can enjoy this if you make it for your holiday parties. Everyone loved endlessly plunging pita pieces into this delish hummus and the fact that it’s super healthy adds another reason to love it.
I know that no one can say what Mary and Joseph actually ate for sure, but I’m thinking this has got to be a little closer to their usual fare than, say, a cheeseburger. Even still, it’s fun to just feel like your eating bible food and your friends, party guests, and/or family will eat it up.
Thou needest prepareth thine own hummus and pitas!
Whole Grain Pitas with Lentil Hummus Dip (Vegan)
Instead of chips and dip, make this healthy recipe for homemade pitas and hummus.
Prep Time 30 minutesCook Time 30 minutesRising Time 1 hour 30 minutesTotal Time 1 hourServings 8 pitas with hummusIngredients
Pitas:
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour divided
- 2 tablespoons pepitas
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Hummus:
- 2 cups cooked lentils
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/3 cup pimento stuffed green olives
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Pitas:
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Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a medium bowl and stir to dissolve yeast. Add salt, oil, bulgur wheat, and 1 1/2 cups of the whole wheat flour. Stir the mixture together for 1 to 2 minutes until very well combined then cover with plastic and put in a warm spot for about 1 hour to start rising.
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After an hour, Add the other 1 cup of flour and stir well, knead with your hands if possible. Re-cover and place back in warm spot to rise for about one more hour.
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When doubled in size, grease hands with oil and divide the dough into 8 balls. Use a rolling pin to flatten each ball into a disc. Brush tops with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds and pepitas then press into dough.
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Heat a medium skillet over high heat and spray with oil. Cook pitas one at a time on each side for about 1 minute until browned.
Hummus:
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Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If not using immediately, store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.
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Rainbow Veggie Hummus Pizza & Everything Bagel Crust (Vegan)
It’s time for some Friday food and to me that needs to be something awesome!
Um, is there such a thing as being too excited, and is there a word for it? ‘Cause that word would really apply to me right now. I’m like over-the-top psyched about this one you guys! It’s probably my favorite pizza EVER! I mean did you read the title? Did you see it! That’s right, it’s on an everything bagel crust!
I don’t even know when I got this idea, seriously. I was making a bunch of pizzas a few days ago, like I do almost every week, and I realized that it’s been way too long since my last pizza recipe post and that is just wrong. Clearly it was time to make a new flavor and it had to be awesome.It was a really rainy day and also, my blog happened to be experiencing a stupid hiccup and it was down for a little while. I was freaking out for a few minutes but I was trying not to go crazy about it so I decided to do something to take my mind off of it. Creating a revolutionary pizza seemed like a pretty good plan so I went with that.
I’ve wanted to make everything bagels recently and that was also on my list of possible distractions and somehow I ended up with everything bagel crust and I may have to do this for every pizza from now on. It was the bomb! I almost named this the everything everything pizza but my title was just getting too long, but that’s what it is. An everything bagel, every veggie, every color pizza that you just kind of want to stare at for hours because it’s so gorgeous.
As for the toppings, well, I actually cheated a little with the hummus because I used some of this hummus that I had in the fridge and the veggie choices were random at first until I realized how pretty all the colors were looking and I just kept adding. Honestly, I was amazed that I even got my first one to fit between the oven racks because it was so entirely piled with toppings. The blueberries were the last thing I added because I wanted a complete rainbow and they are one of the few naturally occurring blue foods and the only one I had on hand. I am so glad I added them because I think they are what really set this pizza over-the-top.
So, obviously you don’t have to use this exact mix of veggies. Use what you have and what you like and make this your own. I also put cheese on mine but that is optional and if you want these to be completely vegan than just skip it. Oh, and if you aren’t a big veggie fan than just skip the veggies and do a plain cheese or pepperoni pizza with typical red sauce and you’ll still have a killer pizza.
The only thing you can’t change is the crust because it’s epic. I mean, just imagine everything you love about a bagel mixed with everything you love about a pizza! You have to try it!
Rainbow Veggie Hummus Pizza & Everything Bagel Crust
You can't hardly mess a pizza up, but you can make it better and this rainbow explosion of a pizza proves that!
Prep Time 30 minutesCook Time 30 minutesRising Time 1 hour 30 minutesTotal Time 1 hourServings 8 servingsIngredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups flour I like to use part whole wheat
- 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning recipe follows
- Everything Bagel Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon regular sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Toppings:
- 1 cup chipotle hummus
- 1 cup mozzarella style cheese (such as Daiya or Miyoko's) optional
- 1/2 small onion thinly sliced
- 1 to mato thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 small carrot shredded
- 1 small zucchini sliced
- 1 red bell pepper julienned
- 1/4 cup button mushrooms sliced
- 1/3 cup whole kernal corn
- 1 small handful fresh basil
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
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Combine yeast, sugar, and water in a medium mixing bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes to let the yeast react. Add other ingredients and mix until it starts to form a dough.
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Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 - 10 minutes. It should be smooth and resilient. Grease a medium bowl and place dough inside. Flip in bowl to cover all sides with oil and cover with towel or plastic wrap. Put in warm place to rise until doubled in size.
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Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C) Fill the largest and widest pot you have with about 8 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Divide dough in half and roll out each half into circles (about 10 inch) and carefully drop 1 at a time into the water and cook for about 45 seconds on each side. Use large spatulas or slotted spoons to gently lift it out and place in on a tray lined with a clean towel.
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Line 2 pizza pans with parchment and spray lightly with oil. Place crusts on trays and sprinkle everything bagel seasoning around the edges. Bake for about 10 minutes.
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Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 F (180 C). Spread on hummus, then top with cheese (if desired), and layer with everything else except basil, cilantro, and blueberries. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until toppings and edges are browned.
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Remove from oven and immediately top with basil, cilantro, and berries to stick them to the cheese. Allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving
